Broken Blades
by Greyrabbit14
Summary: Hayami Mori is Yuuri Katsuki's cousin. She is the daughter of a successful businessman and Japan's best female figure skater. Hayami used to skate in competitions when she was younger but she quit after her mother died, instead continuing her duties as the heiress of her father's company. But things begin to change after Viktor Nikiforov and Yuri Plisetsky come to Hasetsu. YuriPxOC
1. Chapter 1

Broken Blades

 **Summary: Hayami Mori is Yuuri Katsuki's cousin. She is the daughter of a successful businessman and Japan's best female figure skater. She gets the best grades and is the Student Council President at her school, but is secretly depressed. Hayami used to skate in competitions but she quit after her mother died, instead continuing her duties as the heiress of her father's company. But things begin to change when Viktor Nikiforov and Yuri Plisetsky come to Hasetsu. YurixOC**

Hayami's P.O.V

I watched the clock, ignoring Minako's presence as we waited for my cousin to arrive. His name is Yuuri Katsuki and he competed in the Grand Prix Final for men's figure skating last year. I'll be seeing him in person for the first time in five years. I normally wouldn't do something like this, but Yuuri's always been an exception.

My name is Hayami Mori. I'm the Student Council President of Masuda Academy in Tokyo. My father is Itsuki Mori, he's a businessman who travels all over the world for his company, Mori Enterprises. An electronics industry. I have not seen him in nearly ten years, since my mother had passed away. Last I heard, he was in Paris. I've lived with my paternal aunt, Hiroko, ever since.

Aunt Hiroko's husband, my Uncle Toshiya, owns a hot spring resort known as Yu-topia. It's located in Hasetsu. Despite living there for most of my life, I've taken the metro to school. I never cared for the distance. I wanted to go to the school that both of my parents had attended.

My father had inherited the company after the death of my grandfather before I was born, a few years after he had graduated from the University of Tokyo. He was engaged to my mother at the time.

My mother was an Olympic figure skating medalist. Her name was Yukako Ishikawa, prior to marrying my father. She had taught me to skate as soon as I could walk. We would often visit Aunt Hiroko and Uncle Toshiya when she was still alive. Yuuri and I were inspired by her and we both eventually participated in the junior competitions. After Mom died, I quit competing. Since I am the only heir to Mori Enterprises, I had to give up figure skating and focus on my studies by my father's request. I still skate, but not in front of an audience. Like Yuuri, I often practice at the Ice Castle. I'm not sure if Yuuri, my aunt, uncle, or cousin Mari know. They haven't said anything. It's not exactly a secret, but I haven't really told them either.

"Yuuri!" Minako sang. I looked in her direction to see my cousin standing in front of some posters of himself. He jumped nearly ten feet and spun around to face us. "Why are you skulking around like that?"

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Yuuri whispered, frantically. Honestly, does this woman not see that he doesn't want any attention drawn to him?

"Welcome home after five long years!" Minako cheered, spinning and holding up a welcome sign. I then stepped forward.

"Welcome home, Yuu-chan." I greeted with a barely noticeable smile that I strictly reserve for people I trust.

Yuuri returned a tender smile of his own. "Thanks, Hayami. It's great to see you."

As always, Minako attracted unnecessary attention to us, so Yuuri had to spend almost a half hour greeting fans at the station before we were able to leave. I didn't bring up the Grand Prix and thankfully, neither did Minako. Well, not yet anyway. I wouldn't put it past her to eventually bring it up. I at least understood it to be a sensitive topic for my cousin and I'm positive that he's still upset about it. Vicchan's death hit him pretty hard. He may not have been my dog, but I adored him as much as my own pets.

I have two cats named Natsu and Hime. Each one had been a gift from my parents. My mother gave me Hime for my fifth birthday. She's a Bengal. And I received Natsu, a sphynx, from my father before he left. They both get along fine, both with each other and with Vicchan.

"Alright, you're going to greet everyone in town!" Minako announced, dragging Yuuri by the wrist while I followed behind.

"Isn't there a ballet class you should be teaching or something?" Yuuri asked, nervously. I cut in before the woman could respond.

"I highly doubt that Yuuri has the energy to greet an entire neighborhood, Okukawa-San." I said, icily. "Traveling over a thousand miles overseas is a tiring journey so I believe that it would be in his best interest if he rests."

"But the whole town is-"

She stopped when I continued to glare at her and she relented. Yuuri sent me a grateful look and I gave a nod in acknowledgment.

When we got home, Minako immediately called Aunt Hiroko.

"Hayami, Minako, there you are!" Aunt Hiroko cried, running into the room. "Thank you for going to get him at the station. Yuuri, welcome home!"

"Right, thanks Mom." Yuuri replied.

"It was no trouble, Oba-san." I said, bowing. "I'm sorry to leave so early but I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course, Dear." Aunt Hiroko said, giving an understanding smile. "Don't work too hard, okay?"

I nodded and made my way upstairs. I had paperwork to do for Masuda Academy as the Student Council President and it would take a while for me to finish. I greeted Natsu and Hime when I entered my room. I filled their bowls and took a stack of papers out of my desk. I took a plastic bottle that contained caffeine pills that kept me awake whenever I had a lot of work, usually including homework for the extra courses I'm taking as well as a few honors projects.

By the time I had finished, it was late. But I couldn't bring myself to sleep. Whenever I couldn't sleep, I would go to the Ice Castle to skate until I was tired. I grabbed my ice skates and walked out the door to Ice Castle. I had a key that Yuuko had given to me around my neck. I brought a music player that held many songs I had choreographed myself. The song I skated to was a sad violin and piano piece that I had created after I had lost my mother.

I thought of her as I skated. I poured the ache I felt in my heart into my performance. In the middle of it, I could feel tears running down my face as memories of Mother flashed through my mind. Whenever I skate, I feel close to her again, as if she were skating with me like when I was younger. Skating gives me a sense of peace no amount of excellent grades or family praise ever could. I wanted to skate as much as possible before I have to stop completely and inherit my father's company one day.

When the song came to an end, I immediately removed my skates and walked home. I have school in the morning, so I'll be even busier tomorrow than I was today.

…...

The next morning, I received a text from my friend, Hana, as soon as I got out of the shower. We've known each other since elementary school and she's the Student Council Secretary at Masuda Academy. I nearly dropped the phone when I saw what she had sent me. It was a video. Of me. Skating. Judging by the outfit and lighting, this had been recorded last night. I instantly knew who did this. The Nishigori triplets. Despite my anxiety, I continued to get ready. I knew that today was going to be miserable as soon as I get to school.

 **I've taken an interest in Yuri On Ice for a while now and I got many ideas for fanfictions for the past two months. I finally decided to post this one since I like to ponder the idea of Yuri Plisetsky being paired with a Kuudere OC. Anyway, let me know what you think so far. Reviews are inspiring to me.**


	2. Chapter 2

Broken Blades: Chapter 2

Normal P.O.V

"Haha, Yuuri." Yuri scoffed, staring at the recently uploaded video on his phone. He ignored Yakov when the man started yelling. "What a clown. Why doesn't he just retire already?"

He then checked the link below Katsuki's video. **Hayami Mori, Daughter of late Yukako Ishikawa, skates to her own choreography.**

"Hayami Mori?" He said her name out loud. Her name sounded familiar, then he remembered. She used to compete in the girl's junior division for Japan. She was commonly known as Japan's Angel, her performances often left the audience emotional with her grace and beauty on the ice.

Yuri recalled the last time he saw her. He had been twelve at the time and he assumed that she was the same age as him. Hayami Mori could be best described as cute at first glance. She had a fresh, youthful face, gentle features, and strong eyes. Her rosy colored lips, dainty hands, and fair skin reminded him of a porcelain doll. Her hair was night black and looked so silky to touch. She seemed to become more beautiful over the past few years.

The music Mori skated to was dark with a deep, mournful tone. Yuri actually felt a tug at his heart that continued to grow in the middle of the video. The girl's face was contorted into pain and Yuri thought he saw traces of tear tracks on her cheeks but it was hard to tell with the dim lighting in the video.

Throughout the performance, Yuri couldn't bring himself to look away.

Hayami's P.O.V

I sighed in exhaustion and wiped my brow as soon as I stepped foot inside my aunt and uncle's resort. It was difficult to patrol the halls at the academy when the other students kept asking if I was going to skate in competitions again. But I made myself clear to them that I had no intention of doing so and ordered them to get to class. Thankfully, Hana and another friend of mine, Naoto, had patrolled in the same hall today.

 _ ******Several Hours Earlier******_

"You there! What are you doing out in the hall?" Naoto asked, sternly. His question was directed at two of Masuda Academy's biggest trouble makers, Hina Kakita and Takaki Minase.

"Hm? Oh nothing, Tsukamoto." Kakita replied, innocently while batting her eyelashes. Since day one, she's been giving me trouble. She had twisted her top into a crop style, which was a violation to our school dress code and while makeup was okay, students were not allowed to wear as much as Kakita wore. Dyed hair also wasn't allowed. Kakita dyed her hair blonde while Minase had put a few burgundy streaks in his hair. He has a twin named Takuto. Takaki is a delinquent while his brother is a slacker. Last I heard, he and Kakita had recently became a couple so I am convinced that it will result in more trouble from these two.

"Classes start in five minutes and if either of you are late again, you will receive a week's worth of detention." I said, firmly.

Kakita sniffed and grabbed Minase by the wrist. "C'mon Taka."

"Hey wait, Prez!" Minase called to get my attention. "I saw that video of you! Are you gonna skate again?"

I glared at the delinquent and responded coldly. "No. Get to class, Minase."

"And fix your shirt, Kakita!" Naoto ordered, glaring at the two. Hana sighed when Kakita and Minase disappeared.

"Honestly, with their records you'd think they would have learned the rules by now." She said, tiredly.

Naoto gritted his teeth in frustration. "They do it on purpose, Hana. They have no respect for our betters and the teachers have to waste time during class to reprimand them while the rest of us are trying to receive an education!"

Most of the students here at Masuda Academy have known each other since childhood. Before I moved to Hasetsu, Hana, Naoto, another girl named Shizuka, and I were neighbors. We lived in the same apartment building and our parents set up many play dates when we were younger.

Hana's real name is actually Hanako, but everyone close to her calls her Hana and she is an heiress to the Kimiyona fortune. Her parents own a chain of bakeries and sweet shops throughout Japan. She is the kindest person I've ever met. I don't think I could ask for a better friend.

Naoto is older than me by about nine months. He became Masuda Academy's treasurer after Hana and I were elected onto the council. His father is a psychiatrist and his mother a mortician. It's pretty clear to see where he got his intensity from. He may have a hard exterior but he has a passion for what he does because he truly cares about our school. What all three of us had in common was our desire to learn more. It's practically a pastime for us.

I consider Hana to be my best friend, but Shizuka is a sister to me in every way except blood. When I became President, she became the Student Council's Vice President. Like Hana and I, she is to inherit a business. Her parents owned a fashion agency here in Tokyo called _Kogane_ , which means 'golden' in English.

"Hey, Hayami?"

I hummed in acknowledgment even though my eyes were on my clipboard, listing the students who were caught coming in late or breaking any other school rules.

"I'm sorry if I'm prying on a sensitive matter but do you know who posted that video of you?" Hana asked, nervously.

"Yes, but they're only six." I replied, writing down one final name with my pen. "The Nishigori girls don't fully understand the consequences of their actions. They see something they like, and they want to share it with the world."

"Damn," Naoto muttered. "That video was posted at around midnight, right? Shouldn't they have been sleeping?"

"They've always been impulsive like their father." I told him. "He wouldn't stop apologizing over the phone as I was walking to the metro station."

"Didn't he use to pick on your cousin Yuuri?" Hana asked.

I nodded. "Yes. He's matured over the years, but occasionally Yuuko or myself still need to put him in his place."

Naoto and Hana laughed.

"Have you kicked him in the balls recently?" Naoto asked, smirking.

"No, not since I was in elementary school." I said, finished checking over my list. "We have ten minutes until the meeting, we should go now."

Hana voiced her agreement and Naoto offered to get us coffee.

 _ ******Present******_

I was met with an unexpected sight as soon as I walked into the resort. Yuuri and Minako were sitting and gawking at a foreigner who was sleeping on the floor curled up with a brown poodle. I immediately recognized him as Viktor Nikiforov, Yuuri's idol and, I'll never say this out loud, also one of my favorite male figure skaters. I was shocked, but I kept my expression neutral as I turned to face Yuuri and Minako.

"What is he doing here?" I asked, calmly.

Yuuri awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously.

"You should sit down, Hayami. It's a bit of a long story..."

I did as he requested and listened. Apparently, Nikiforov saw the video of Yuuri skating and was so inspired that he came all the way from Russia to Hasetsu to become his coach. I blinked in surprise at the news but at the same time, I felt very proud of Yuuri. I gave a small smile to him when he and Minako finished explaining.

"I'm very happy for you, Yuu-chan." I whispered. "I am convinced that you will win this season."

A sneeze suddenly startled us and both Minako and Yuuri gasped.

"He's awake." My cousin whispered in awe.

Our guest turned to face us. "Is there more food around here? I'm so hungry."

"I thought you said..." Minako's words were drowned out by Yuuri.

"Sure, we've got lots of food! What would you like?" Yuuri asked, his voice rising a little.

"What's your favorite food, Yuuri?" Nikiforov asked, sleep still in his voice. "If I'm going to be your coach, that's something I ought to know, don't you think?"

Yuuri's cheeks flushed and he immediately dashed out of the room, possibly to ask Aunt Hiroko to make katsudon. My aunt's katsudon is the best in Hasetsu, if not the entirety of Japan. However, I prefer smaller meals, like sushi.

"Hello, you must be Hayami." Nikiforov said, turning his gaze towards me. "Your performance was breathtaking, I was in tears halfway through, and that's never happened before."

"Thank you, Mr. Nikiforov." I said, bowing. "And yes, I am Hayami Mori. Pleased to meet you."

The Russian skater laughed. "Please, call me Viktor. You don't have to be so formal."

"Yeah, that's Hayami for you." Minako said, smirking. "I have to tell her to loosen up all the time but she's always been adamant about watching her P's and Q's at all times. Not to mention she always has some form of work to do since she's a Student Council President and heiress to a company."

"Really? That's impressive." Viktor said. "You must work very hard, Hayami."

"I do my best." I replied, getting up. "Excuse me, but I have work to do. Please enjoy your stay M...Viktor."

I headed upstairs to my room and pulled out my homework and papers from today's meeting with the council.

Normal P.O.V

Viktor watched Hayami as she left the room. She was very unlike the girl he had seen in the video who poured out all her emotions for her audience to see with a way that made the viewer feel what she had been feeling at that moment. From what he could see, Hayami was very reserved and seemed to keep her guard up around other people. But it was a little refreshing that someone who knew who he was didn't get excited just because he was famous.

"Sorry about her," Minako apologized. "Hayami may act like a total ice queen but she's a good kid. Very dedicated. I've never seen anyone work as hard as her. I sometimes get worried that she may be carrying unnecessary burdens."

"Why is that?" Viktor asked, narrowing his eyes in concern. Minako sighed.

"A few years after her mom died, she quit competing and threw herself into her books." She said, sadly. "Her father left when she needed a parent the most and she moved in with the Katsukis. Hiroko's her father's sister. Hayami pretty much had to beg Hiroko and Toshiya to let her keep going to school in Tokyo. She takes the metro every day to Masuda Academy. That place is a tough school to get into, mostly for the rich and extremely intelligent. It's the place where both of her parents attended high school and she plans to get into the University of Tokyo after she graduates."

Minako sighed again, looking down at her nails. "Hayami busts her ass off every day to meet her father's expectations. The Moris are a tight bunch, the eldest heir has their entire life planned out from the day they are born and since Hayami's an only child, she's expected to take over Mori Enterprises once her father retires."

Viktor frowned as he stroked Makkachin, processing what Minako just told him.

"So that's why she quit." He muttered, feeling bad for the girl who was living a life that very likely wasn't her own. "Did her father make her give up skating?"

Minako shrugged. "She didn't exactly say that, only that it was expected of her. Hayami doesn't show much emotion but I can tell that it's hurting her. She truly loves to skate. She goes over to Ice Castle when nobody's around so she can get away from all the attention. I think she's afraid of what her father would think if he knew that she was still skating."

"Dinner!" Hiroko announced, entering the room with a steaming bowl in her hands and Yuuri following behind. Viktor's mind instantly drifted from thoughts of Hayami at the mouthwatering morsel before him.

…...

When Hayami got to her room, she sighed and set her school bag down by her desk chair. Natsu and Hime were nestled on top of her bookshelf but instantly perked up when their owner came in. Natsu immediately jumped down and sat down in front of her with a meow, looking at Hayami expectantly. The sphynx got an affectionate scratch behind her ears and Hayami opened two cans of wet food for the cats who eagerly dug in.

As Hayami did her daily paperwork, she heard Hime playing with her cat puzzle behind her after the cats had finished their meal and Natsu had managed her way into her owner's lap, purring away. Hayami stroked her cat with one hand while the other continued writing. Eventually, she became so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice Hime leave the room.

Hayami heard Viktor's dog bark and looked up to see Hime race past her room with Makkachin on her heels. She felt Natsu tense up in her lap and gently petted the sphynx to calm her. Hayami knew that Hime wasn't scared of the poodle. Bengals are very social cats who are known to get along fine with dogs. Hime was no exception, she had played with Vicchan all the time when he was still alive and would also play with the other neighborhood dogs.

Natsu on the other hand needed more time to get used to other animals. She had known Hime and Vicchan since she was a kitten, so she was used to them.

Aunt Hiroko then appeared in the doorway with a steaming bowl in hand. Hayami then realized with guilt that she forgot to eat dinner. She was prone to disordered eating with her schedule and barely had the time to take a break.

"I'm sorry," Hayami apologized, setting down her pen. "I didn't mean to skip dinner, Oba-san."

Hiroko smiled as she set the bowl of katsudon on the desk. "It's alright, Dear. I understand."

She thanked her aunt for the meal and nearly hummed at the taste of the succulent meat. Hayami knew how to cook and she could do it very well, but she couldn't deny that Aunt Hiroko was a master in the kitchen.

After finishing her food, Hayami heard Viktor at the end of the hall, calling for Yuuri and suggesting that they have a slumber party. She knew that her cousin would refuse to let his idol into his room where it showed many posters of the man himself. Eventually, Nikiforov went back to his own room with his dog and Hime came back into Hayami's room. She looked up when someone knocked on her open door.

It was Viktor standing in the doorway with Makkachin at his side.

"Hello Hayami, may I come in?" He asked.

Hayami nodded and gestured for him to sit on the bed. "Do you need something?"

The Russian shook his head. "I know you are busy, so I will make this quick, ok?"

He took the girl's silence as a sign to continue.

"I was wondering if you would like to join me and Yuuri tomorrow at Ice Castle. I figured with your skating abilities you could help me in training him."

Hayami was silent for a moment. She had expected Viktor to ask about what she was going to do with her skating career, to return to the ice like everyone at school had done. But, thankfully, that wasn't it.

"Very well but may I ask why you want me to help you?" She eventually replied, keeping a straight face as always.

Viktor smiled at her response. "I have never coached anyone before and you are very smart, so I feel that I can trust your advice. After all, you became Student Council President for a reason, da?"

"...I suppose." Hayami said, softly. "What time?"

Viktor told her that they would go to Ice Castle at seven in the morning. When he and Makkachin left the room, Viktor looked down at his most faithful companion and scratched him behind the ears.

"I don't know if this is going to work, Makkachin." He said, gazing back at Hayami's room with a sad smile. "But I'm willing to try."

 **AN: Well, here's a little more information on Hayami. Basically, she's had a lot of pressure on her since she started high school. Her family's rich but she isn't exactly spoiled, being an overachiever. You'll find out more about Hayami as the story progresses and Yuri comes into the picture.**

 **R &R**


	3. Chapter 3

Broken Blades: Chapter 3

Hayami's P.O.V

I steadily controlled my breathing as I ran a few feet ahead of Yuuri but stayed close enough to urge him on when I needed to. Despite still being a decent skater, he was clearly out of shape. I had noticed it when Minako and I had greeted him at the station and I heard the woman yelling about his weight gain after I had retreated to my room. I understand that Minako isn't trying to put Yuuri down but the way she meddles into other peoples' affairs is really annoying. The fact that she drinks too often is another thing that I don't like about her.

I had my hair up in a high ponytail and clipped back my bangs. My outfit consisted of a blue Ivy Park top, Alo leggings, a Nike watch, and white running shoes. Practicing at Ice Castle and being on the tennis team at school kept me in shape. I didn't have a backpack so Viktor was carrying my gym bag as he rode on a bicycle in front of us with Makkachin running after him. My lack of sleep last night made me very weak in the morning and I ended up taking two pills instead of one.

Viktor greeted a fisherman as we passed him.

"Ohayogozaimasu!" I greeted with a wave. Yuuri was struggling to catch his breath so he could barely speak as we passed the man.

Both Yuuri and I were panting when we finally reached the Ice Castle. Viktor got off the bike and handed me my bag before leading us inside. As he talked to the Nishigoris I unzipped my bag and handed my cousin a water bottle before taking one for myself.

"Hello! I'll be Yuuri's coach from now on and Hayami will be assisting me." Viktor said with a wink. "Viktor Nikiforov. Nice to meet you."

Had I been younger, I probably would have laughed at the Nishigoris reactions to the news. I haven't laughed, or ever gave a genuine full smile since I quit competing and Father left.

We ended up watching Viktor skate to Stammi Vicino once we were inside. Prior to last year's Grand Prix, I hadn't watched figure skating or any other form of TV unless it was an educational documentary for school. I had only watched last year to support Yuuri with the rest of the family.

"Wow, a quadruple flip!" Yuuko said, admiring Viktor as he skated. "Amazing!"

"I got a great shot!"

"Awesome video!"

"How soon can we upload this, huh?"

"You won't be." I immediately responded, firmly. I sent them a look that made them avoid eye contact. "Posting videos of someone without their consent is not acceptable. If you do it again, I will _not_ be happy. Understood?"

"Yes, Hayami." They replied, guiltily. "We're sorry."

I softened my gaze before continuing. "I know you had good intentions but you need to understand that once something is posted online, it can never be taken down. You also need to consider how the person in the video would feel. Yuuri and I just wanted to skate in private. We didn't want an audience. I only skate as a pastime now. I'm not going to compete again."

"Remember, you're not setting foot in this rink until you drop some weight, little piggy!" Viktor sang. I then turned to glare at him.

"You just made your first mistake, Viktor!" I called across the rink. "A good coach does not use humiliation or embarrassment to teach their students and they're supposed to keep them emotionally safe."

From then, I would watch Yuuri's progress with Viktor and correct any mistakes the Russian made while coaching my cousin. Of course, only on weekends since I still have school. Whenever I am unable to attend, Viktor and Yuuri discuss what had occurred that day so I understand what Viktor still needs to improve as a coach. He's not bad at coaching but when observing him, it's clear that he is inexperienced.

My use of the caffeine pills increased. Upholding school and my jobs as president and Viktor's assistant was exhausting but as always, I just keep going. I have to put on makeup to hide the dark bags under my eyes. I lost weight, my skin was losing what little color it had, turning into the same shade of white as hospital sheets, and I was stiff almost all the time now. It became more stressful when a photo of Viktor was leaked to the media and reporters came stampeding into Hasetsu.

It got worse at school too. No one would leave me alone. Naoto and Hana tried to protect me despite my objections and eventually it became too much and the principal had to ask security to help us.

"Damned vultures." Naoto growled, after slamming the door in the faces of another group of students who tried to approach me in the hallway.

"I think we've handed out more detentions this year than any other council members ever had." Hana said, removing her glasses and massaging the bridge of her nose.

Shizuka then glanced at me. "Are you okay, Hayami? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." I stated, nonchalantly as I wrote red X's on the names of students who had received a detention today. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"Nothing ever fazes you, Mori." Sakura Hamamoto, our Grade Level Senator, said in astonishment.

Akio Fujimura, the Public Relations Director, chipped in. "Yeah, I don't know what I would do in your situation. You're one tough girl."

"I'm only doing what I always do." I replied. "Let's start the meeting."

Normal P.O.V

After school, Hayami went straight to Ice Castle. She maneuvered her way through the crowd of reporters and stopped when she saw the triplets outside, acting as security. Noticing their wide-eyed stares at something inside the building, Hayami looked in their line of sight to see someone who was about the same height as her standing on Yuuri's head.

"...shut your mouth, you stupid pig!" Yuri snarled, glaring down at the Japanese skater. "This is-ugh!"

He was suddenly shoved off of Katsuki, causing him to lose his footing and fall to the ground. With an agitated growl, he whirled around to face the one who pushed him.

"Who the hell are-" He shouted but stopped mid-sentence when he saw who it was. It was Hayami Mori and she was helping Katsuki to his feet, not giving Yuri a glance as she examined where he had been standing on Katsuki's head.

"Are you alright?" She asked Yuuri. Her voice was soft but gave away no emotion and her facial expression remained straight.

"H-Hey! What are you doing here?!" Yuri demanded. Hayami returned her attention to Plisetsky and her impassive glare sent chills down his spine but she didn't answer. She just grabbed Yuuri by the arm and pulled him towards the rink.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Yuri yelled, indignantly and chased after the two Japanese skaters. He stopped when he saw Viktor in the rink.

"I recognize those moves." He said, catching the attention of Katsuki but Hayami refused to look at him. She still listened though. "They're for the short program Viktor was choreographing for next season."

"What?" Yuuri breathed.

"Before he decided to come here, he was putting together routines for next season." Yuri continued. "But he was really torn, surprising the audience has always been what he cared about most. For years, the skating world just worshipped him. Now no matter what he does, no one's surprised anymore. He knows that, it really eats at him."

Yuuri and Hayami shared a glance and the latter gave a single nod before returning her attention to the man on the ice.

"He doesn't feel inspired and without inspiration you're as good as dead." Yuri added. "I wonder if he'll let me use his program. He doesn't need it if he's going to take off this season."

"Huh?" Yuuri then turned to look at the younger skater.

"If he'll give me a chance, I know I can surprise the audience. I'm going to make my debut as a senior and win the Grand Prix Final. But I need Viktor's help to do it."

"Wow, you're confident." Yuuri stated in amazement.

Hayami then leaned in and whispered in his ear. "He's not, Yuu-chan. He's arrogant. There is a difference, you know."

Yuri's yell across the rink prevented him from hearing Yuuri snicker at Hayami's words.

"HEY VIKTOR, YOU GOT TIME FOR A LITTLE CHAT?!"

Viktor turned in their direction and smiled. "Hey, I didn't even know you were here! I'm surprised Yakov let you come. You need something?"

Hayami kept a straight face when she saw the look on Plisetsky's face but on the inside, she was laughing.

"Uh oh, that's not a happy face." Viktor said, the smile never leaving his face. "Let me guess, I forgot to do something I said I would do?"

Hayami sighed before calling out to the older Russian. "Let me know when you're going to start training, Viktor. I have work to do."

"Yes Hayami-sensei!" Viktor saluted with his signature wink but the girl didn't acknowledge him as she went to Takeshi's office.

While Hayami was in the office, Yuri reminded Viktor of the promise he had made years ago, to choreograph a program for him to skate to in the next season.

"Also, what is Hayami Mori doing here?" He demanded before throwing an accusatory glare in Yuuri's direction. "And how the hell does she know you?"

"She lives here," Yuuri replied. "We're cousins."

Yuri froze before turning to where Hayami disappeared then back to Yuuri, a look of pure disbelief on his face.

"HUH?!"

…...

"This place is a real hovel." Yuri commented once the quartet was back at the inn.

After getting over the shock of finding out that Hayami Mori, Japan's Angel, was related to Yuuri Katsuki, Viktor had called said girl back to the rink and announced that he was going to choreograph a program for both Yuris and they would compete against each other, the winner getting Viktor as their coach.

"So, where's my room?"

"Wait a sec, you're staying here?!" Yuuri exclaimed while Hayami rolled her eyes and retreated from the room without anyone noticing.

"No way I'm letting you have Viktor for yourself all the time, Fatso." Yuri said before snapping. "So, I'm staying here, okay?!"

Hayami shut the door of her room to drown out the conversation between her cousin and guests. She let out an exhausted sigh and opened her desk drawer to where her pills were. She swallowed them dry and sat down at her desk to go through the mail her aunt had left on her desk. Most of them were from various universities across Japan, even from abroad. When Hayami made it to the last envelope, she froze, staring down at the stamp. It was from her father.

Standing up, she grabbed a box from the shelf above her and placed it inside with a bunch of other unopened letters with that same stamp.

When she was just about finished with tonight's homework, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Hayami called in English just in case it was Viktor again. Instead, it was Mari.

"Hey," Mari greeted, gruffly. "Mom sent me. It's time for dinner."

Hayami nodded and stood to follow Mari to where Viktor, Yuuri, and Plisetsky were. The younger Russian was scarfing down katsudon in a way that made her inwardly cringe.

"Jeez Yuuri, you have another visitor?" Mari asked, causing Plisetsky to turn around to face them. Hayami ignored Mari's exclamation of Yuri looking like her idol and sat down. She thanked her aunt when she handed her a bowl of rice and vegetables. While she ate, she listened the others talk around her.

"His name's Yuri too, isn't that funny?" Hiroko said, smiling in amusement.

"Huh? That's just gonna be confusing. We'll call you 'Yurio'." Mari announced, causing Yuri to make an indignant noise while Hayami mentally rolled her eyes at the nickname. Of course, she would never address the Russian boy with that ridiculous name since they were not on a first name basis. Hayami also often referred to Yuuri as 'Yuu-chan' anyway.

"So, where will Yurio be sleeping?" Mari asked.

"Upstairs." Yuuri replied.

"What?! In the storage room?!" Mari exclaimed. "It's gonna need a major cleaning first! Yuuri, come help me."

As Yuuri left to help Mari, Viktor decided to tease Yuri. "Looks like you have a fan, Yurio."

"I am not gonna go by that stupid name!" Yuri shouted while Viktor laughed. He then turned his attention to Hayami, who was eating in silence. "Hey, what's that on your arm?"

She looked to where he was pointing at the red band that displayed her position at Masuda Academy in kanji.

"It's an armband that members of Masuda Academy's Student Council are required to wear." Hayami answered, monotonously.

"She's not just a member," Viktor chimed in. "She's the council president!"

"There's no doubt in my mind she'll make valedictorian when she graduates!" Hiroko added, smiling with pride at her niece. "We're so proud of her!"

Yuri frowned. "If you're part of student government then how the hell do you make time for skating?"

Hayami shrugged. "I don't. I just occasionally go to Ice Castle if my insomnia is keeping me awake."

There was a moment of silence that made her glance up at her aunt and the two Russians. They looked shocked at her statement.

"Hayami, how often does this happen?" Hiroko asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Not often." She replied, finishing her meal and setting the bowl and chopsticks down. "Thank you for dinner, Oba-san. Please don't worry about me, I promise I'm fine."

Hayami stood up and bowed before departing back to her room. Hiroko sighed as she picked up the empty dish, Viktor and Yuri could see the sadness on the woman's face as she did so.

"Hiroko..." Viktor said, catching her attention. "Forgive me if I am prying into a personal matter but does Hayami often overwork?"

Hiroko nodded. "Yes. My brother Itsuki has put a lot of pressure on her ever since Yukako had passed. She had to quit skating to meet his expectations. Hayami hides it well, but I can see how much it hurts her. She's too proud to ask for help though. I've seen her fall asleep at her desk on more than one occasion last year."

Hiroko smiled but the pain behind it was clear. "Hayami is supposed to inherit her father's company one day. She doesn't think I notice, but I can tell that she clearly wants to go back to skating."

"Why doesn't she then?!" Yuri exclaimed, slamming his bowl onto the table. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It could be seen in that video he saw that Hayami Mori had a talent and genuine feel for the ice, yet she was giving it all up just to appease her father.

"In the Mori family, the father's word is law." Hiroko said. "I had to work really hard to convince my father to let me marry Toshiya. If something was deemed unimportant to him, he would brush it off. Since Itsuki was the eldest, our father put a lot of pressure on him, even when he was overseas. Itsuki was the top student at Masuda Academy and he was the Student Council President. It was an enforced rule in our family. The heir to the company always has to be the best. Right now, Hayami is in the same situation with Itsuki."

Mari then entered with an empty tray to collect the dishes. If she noticed the tense atmosphere in the room, she didn't say anything. Viktor then asked about Yuuri's whereabouts but Yuri tuned them out.

Years ago, he could never work up the nerve to approach Hayami due to not knowing how to talk to her without making the conversation awkward. Just the thought of being close to her made Yuri nervous. During one junior competition, he had watched another competitor speak to Hayami in a derogatory manner only for the girl to return a scalding retort that had caused such damage that the other girl ended up flunking her performance while Hayami ended up taking home a gold medal.

Now though...Yuri was appalled that someone would try to throw away their talent for the sake of another person who was absent for most of their life. Hayami had all that potential and she was being held back by someone who should be supporting her most, only caring about his work and social status while expecting his daughter to do the same.

 ******The Next Day******

Hayami's P.O.V

I woke up feeling sore and tired, as if I had already ran a marathon. I forced myself to get up, stumbling slightly as I did so, and went to retrieve my pills. I gulped them down with some water before changing into a plain white top, sweatshirt, and gym shorts. After pinning my hair up and slipping on my running shoes, I met Viktor, Yuu-chan, and Plisetsky downstairs. I exchanged good mornings with Viktor and my family before grabbing a water bottle to put in my bag.

We all went the same route to Ice Castle with Viktor riding a bike while the rest of us ran. We passed the same fisherman as always, exchanging greetings with him as we ran.

"Be polite, Yurio. Say hi." Viktor said to our newest arrival.

"I told you I'm not answering to that name!" The boy snapped. My breathing was becoming labored, my head was starting to hurt, and my vision began to blur. I suddenly felt myself falling, grunting as soon as I hit the ground. A sharp pain instantly shot through my knee and I heard my cousin shout in worry.

Yuuri was at my side before I could even raise my head. "Hayami! Are you okay?"

I panted as I tried to catch my breath, barely managing to get the words out. "...hai...I'm fine."

I heard the hiss of bicycle wheels halting as Viktor stopped right next to us. The older man was looking down at us, concern etched across his face. "Hayami, you're bleeding!"

I looked down to seeing a large gash on my knee, blood trickling down my shin and dripping onto the pavement beneath our feet. Yuuri helped me stand up and Viktor gestured to the front of the bike.

"Hop on." He said. "You and I can ride the rest of the way. It's only two minutes anyway."

I nodded and sat on the front of the bike, riding with Viktor the rest of the way. Once we were at our destination, Yuuri immediately took me to see Yuuko to get my leg treated. Once my knee was bandaged, I thanked her and went to join Viktor, Yuuri, and Plisetsky in the rink. Viktor will officially start training them today while I observed him.

First, Viktor showed two songs that he had choreographed himself. The first one was a slow, gentle melody with an innocent vibe to it. It was called 'On Love: Agape'. The theme of this piece was unconditional love. The second song was the opposite of the first one, more fast-paced and alluring in an erotic fashion. It was called 'On Love: Eros'. Its theme was sexual love.

"Here are your assignments. You get Eros," Viktor announced, pointing to Yuuri before turning to Plisetsky. "You get Agape!"

Yuuri and Plisetsky stood there, stunned, for a one moment before the younger boy shouted his objection.

"We should switch, that's so not me!"

"A fifteen-year-old skating to a mature theme like Eros wouldn't be socially acceptable, Plisetsky." I said before Viktor could respond. "Besides, if you want to truly surprise the audience then you should perform to something they wouldn't expect from you."

"Very good, Hayami. That's exactly what I was thinking!" Viktor praised.

"Besides," He continued, now facing his students. "You both are far more mediocre than you think. You need to be more self-aware. I'm surprised you don't know how much work you need to do on your images. Right now, to the audience, you're just a piglet and a kitten-OUCH!"

Viktor rubbed the sore spot on his leg where I had kicked him while still being careful not to hurt him with the blade of my skate. I never changed my expression, but I was glaring at him the whole time. I would've thought that continuously reminding him not to use insults as motivation would end sooner but for a champion, he's quite slow.

Viktor chuckled. "Sorry Hayami, I forgot. Anyway, you both better be up to my standards by next week or I won't continue to work with either of you. But don't worry, as fans of mine, I'm sure you'll manage."

"There will be a competition." I added. "Whoever wins will be coached by Viktor for the season."

By the look on Plisetsky's face, it was easy to tell that he was confident in his victory. However, I knew that it would be his downfall.

After practice, we ended up walking home. My head was starting to hurt again so I was grateful that we didn't have to run. As we walked, I heard my phone vibrating in my bag. Viktor had insisted on carrying it despite my objections. He quickly unzipped it and handed me my phone. I stared at the name on the screen momentarily before answering.

" _Moshimoshi_."

Yuri's P.O.V

I watched as Hayami stared at her vibrating phone. She seemed hesitant to answer it. When she did, she was silent during most of the conversation. Probably just listening to the person on the other line.

"... _Hai, wakarimasu._ " She said, softly. " _Oyasuminasai_."

When Hayami hung up, she was silent. Well, more so than usual. The silence that followed that phone call was suffocating. Apparently the two idiots thought so as well.

"Everything okay, Hayami?" The pig asked. Viktor also looked concerned.

"Yes." She replied, monotonously. Something about her tone seemed tired, sad almost. I glanced at her. I don't know if it was a trick of the light or not, but for a moment, I thought I saw a glimpse of emotion on her normally stoic face. For a brief second, Hayami looked as if she might cry. But with a single blink, it was gone.

I then spoke up, trying to seem like I don't really care. "So, who was that?"

She didn't even look at me when she replied, her voice cold. "I don't see how my affairs concern you, Plisetsky."

I wanted to retort but for some reason, I couldn't get the words out. My lips were parted, yet no sound came out.

When I did find my voice, I meant to yell but all I got out was, "...Tch, whatever."

Back at the inn, Hayami bid us goodnight and went straight to her room without even glancing at any of us. Fatso sighed, running a hand through his hair, staring in the direction of Hayami's retreating figure.

"Yuuri...did Hayami look sad to you?" Viktor asked the pig. Huh, so it wasn't just me. Yuuri nodded.

"Yeah, it's never good when she makes that face." He replied, softly.

 _The Hell?_ I thought to myself, watching Hayami disappear around a corner. _What's with her?_

Hayami's P.O.V

I quietly shut my bedroom door and set my gym bag on the floor. Hime and Natsu were seated by their bowls in an instantly, waiting for their meal. After I fed them, I pulled one of my duffle bags out of the closet and started packing.

I then changed into a navy-blue T-shirt and yellow pajama bottoms before climbing into bed. I felt both of my cats jump on after finishing their food, curling up beside me. I set my alarm and tried to sleep, but I ended up analyzing my room. I felt tears burn my eyes as I remembered the phone call I received earlier. It had been from one of my father's employees who cared for our house in Tokyo. He wouldn't have contacted me except for only one reason.

I locked away my feelings about it and closed my eyes, refusing to let any tears fall. I should have seen this coming sooner, but I have to accept it and move on. Like always.


End file.
